


Home Is Where You Make It

by sushibomb



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Adulting is hard, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Bokuto is the bird whisperer, Cuddling, Daichi never knowing what's going on, Flirting, Full Nerd Oikawa strikes again, Gen, Kissing, Kuroo doesn't love himself, M/M, Oikawa and Bo are 'that' couple, Roommates, Shenanigans, all around fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-13 11:39:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9121864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sushibomb/pseuds/sushibomb
Summary: “I’m good with animals. I don’t mind them. Why? What kind of animals do you guys have?”“A bird and a cat. There’s Dirk McSquawkin, my boyfriend’s parrot. I’m warning you now, he’s teaching it how to talk, but so far, all it can say is ‘boner’ and various other dirty phrases.”Daichi nods with a bemused ‘oh’. "That’s...interesting.”“And then there’s Harrison Ford, me and Tettsun’s cat. He’s really bad, so, sorry in advance. Also, don’t pet him, he bites.”“Noted.”OrDaichi moves in with three of the weirdest people he's ever met, and he's never felt more at home.





	1. Movin' On Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NatRoze](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NatRoze/gifts).



> A/N: For Secret Santa Exchange 2k16! For @NatRoze on twitter! Enjoy friendo :DDD
> 
> I was originally trying to incorporate a Mafia AU in here somewhere but it was a failed experiment and for that I am sorry
> 
> update 01/03/17: I fixed that horrible spacing so now it looks normal 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu!!

“But you told me the room was still available, and you interviewed me and everything, so I don’t underst-”

 Daichi’s heart sinks into his stomach as he listens to the guy on the other line. At least he has the decency to sound sorry about it. **_“...Look, I know it’s messed up, and again, I’m really, really sorry, dude. But my roommate’s brother is in some trouble right now and he decided that it would be best if his bro stayed here with us for awhile. There’s nothing I can do, sorry.”_**

A final, apologetic sigh, and then the line goes dead. 

With a frustrated string of curses muttered under his breath, Daichi hangs up as well and tosses his phone onto the table, head falling heavily into his hands. For a brief second, he considers calling his roommate -- _ex_ -roommate, and beg for them to settle their differences. But before weakness can really take hold of him, a large mug of something steaming and caffeinated is placed next to him, grabbing his attention. He looks up to find one of the baristas in the shop, smiling down at him piteously.

“Hey,” She says, pushing the cup a little closer, “Seems like you’re having a rough night, so this latte’s on me.”

Daichi perks up a bit, reaching for the cup of molten comfort. “Wow, thanks, I appreciate it.”

That was a good call. He definitely needs it.

 She beams down at him once more before flitting off behind the counter, leaving Daichi alone with his thoughts and his new latte.

 He likes Tokyo, really he does. It’s an interesting city, steeped in years and years of history and innovation, and bizarre but intriguing fashion trends that Daichi is certain he will never comprehend. The nightlife is fast-paced and colorful, so different from back in Miyagi. Not that Daichi has experienced much of it for himself, other than when Suga and Asahi come to visit and Suga wants the  _Works._  There’s a lot of work for a young graduate like himself, which is what Daichi himself cares about, and it’s the whole reason he moved out here in the first place.

 He’s still getting accustomed to the vibe of the city, and overall, he likes it. It’s a cool place to live, and sometimes people here, like that barista, can be really nice and down to earth.

 ...But right now, he hates it here.

 It’s late at night, it’s pouring out, and his emergency funds are running dry. And with the nasty argument with his former roommate hanging overhead, all of his stuff in storage, and no one else he knows very well, Daichi sits huddled in the corner table of his favorite coffeeshop, feeling more alone than he ever thought possible in a city of thirteen million people. 

His phone buzzes. Suga’s calling. Daichi picks up on the second ring. 

“Hey,” He says glumly.

**_“Hey, Daichi! I just saw your text...everything okay?”_**

Daichi feels tears begin to well up in his eyes. Things couldn’t be further from okay. “Not really, to be honest….I had a big fight with Takao earlier.”

 **_“Oh boy,”_ ** Suga says. Daichi suspects that Suga already knows what he is about to say.

“I did it, Suga. I moved out. After so long, I’ve just, I’ve had it. I had to leave.”  

Suga replies a few seconds later. **_“I’m sure it’s for the best. That guy was kind of a dick, anyway.”_**

Daichi laughs. Suga had said that from the beginning. He had always been a pretty good judge of character. It makes Daichi wonder why he never saw what Suga had seen. Or why he never listened to him when he mentioned it.

“Yeah. He was.” Daichi finally responds,“I’m not sure what I'm gonna do now, though.”

He’s really glad Suga isn’t pulling the whole ‘I told you so’ thing on him, though it’s not like Daichi doesn’t deserve it.

 **_“We can figure it out later. More importantly, do you have somewhere to stay tonight?”_ ** Suga asks, and immediately Daichi sighs with a tired head-scratch.

“I’ve been looking at hotels in the area, but everything is ridiculously expensive in this part of town. I might have to travel a ways to find something kinda cheap. But,” Daichi pauses to sigh and take a sip of his latte, “It’s so late now, I don’t if the trains are even still running. I’m so fucked right now…”

Suga makes a pitiful noise over the line. **_“I wish there was something I could do, Daichi. I feel so useless right now.”_**

Daichi smiles. “No, this phone call was more than enough, honest. It’s been pretty lonely here lately. It was nice to hear a familiar voice.” 

A loud crack of thunder forces Daichi to acknowledge his lodging situation, or, rather, lack thereof. He pinches the bridge of his nose, already resigning himself to no less than an hour of slouching over his phone, hunting for a hotel under fifty thousand yen a night. And the clock’s already ticking. He and Suga make a little more small talk before hanging up.

 **_“And remember Daichi, you can always come back home,”_ ** Suga says, **_“We miss you a lot over here.”_**

And truthfully, there are times when Daichi has considered quitting his job and going back home. There’s plenty of work in Miyagi, he’s sure.

But that’s a thought for when he’s safely lodged in a decent hotel.

He reaches for his phone, resigning himself to a couple of hours of searching for the cheapest hotel possible, not an easy thing to find in this city. And to make matters worse, the sky is bright with severe looking streaks of lightning, illuminating the heavy clouds that are obscured by the night. They hold the promise of rain that will last well into the next afternoon. What a time to be homeless. 

Daichi could cry.

“Are there even going to be rooms available at this hour?” He wonders aloud, opening several hotel apps at once. 

Suddenly, a dark sweater comes just into his line of site. Curious, Daichi glances up from his phone and his comfort coffee to see a young guy standing behind the empty chair opposite him, giving him a small, friendly smile.

Daichi’s first reaction: Otaku.

Akihabara is fairly close by if you take the train; it’s not uncommon to see younger people in the surrounding area with anime merchandise, comic books, and cool electronic gadgets and stuff. By the several shopping bags hanging off his forearm, not to mention the oversized _Kylo Ren_ sweater hanging off one shoulder, Daichi imagines that’s probably where he came from.

Despite this, he’s definitely a looker; a table of girls chirp and chatter wildly a few feet away, openly gawking at the tall stranger. He waves at them before turning back to Daichi. Big, innocuous brown eyes stare down at him from behind large, thick-rimmed glasses and perfectly prim chestnut hair.

 _Wow, he’s really cute,_ Daichi thinks. It’s been so long since he last dated or even noticed other guys...work has consumed most of his time since moving out here.

“Uh, hello…?” Daichi begins awkwardly. 

“Hi,” The stranger says back, and the light, airy tone of his voice puts Daichi somewhat at ease.

“Uh,” The stranger begins, staring down at the empty chair in front of him, “May I sit?”

“Oh, um, sure.” Daichi hurriedly moves his things aside so they can share the small table. The guy takes the empty seat gratefully, plopping down all of his bags before settling down with a small ‘whew!’

“It’s getting nasty out, huh?” He says, glancing out the window, “I swear, it wasn’t even drizzling when I left home earlier. This weather has been nuts lately.”

Daichi nods in agreement. “Yeah, you got that right. I’m Sawamura, nice to meet you.”

“Oikawa, a pleasure as well.” The guy, Oikawa, replies jovially as he swings his satchel around into his lap. They sit in silence for a beat, Daichi watches him fiddle with his satchel curiously, rummaging around for something inside. 

“So,” Daichi begins, “Not to be rude, or anything, but,”

“-you’re wondering why I decided to plant myself here instead of at any of the other…” Oikawa interjects, looking around the cafe, “...thousand empty tables…in this cafe.”

Daichi is sure the look on his face is nothing if not sheepish. “Well, yeah.”

Seeming to have found what he was looking for, Oikawa pulls something out of his bag, which turns out to be a single sheet of paper with the bottom cut into strips. Phone numbers.

Oikawa sits the flyer on the table between the two of them. “Well, I don’t wanna seem like I was eavesdropping, but I have to say, this feels kind of like fate.” He pushes the flyer closer so Daichi can properly look over it.

“Roommate wanted.” Daichi reads aloud. Oikawa continues as he reads over the rest of the paper.

“I couldn’t help but overhear you talking to someone about a room just now on the phone, and well, I was just stopping in here to put this up because as it just so happens, me and my boyfriend and our friend are looking for someone to give the spare bedroom to.”

“Your boyfriend?”

Oikawa leans forward, chin resting on folded hands. “Yep. My gorgeous, buff, bird-brain of a boyfriend. And don’t worry, I could tell right away that you’ll fit in perfectly at our place. No one in our household is straight.”

Daichi flushes hotter than his latte under Oikawa’s knowing gaze. “It’s okay, you don’t have to be embarrassed. My gay-dar is _never_ wrong.” He says proudly.

“What gave me away?”

Oikawa’s head cocks to the side, considering the question for a brief moment. “Nothing, actually. It was just intuition.”

Admittedly, it is comforting to hear that. That had been one of the many things he and his roommate used to argue over constantly; the fact that Daichi was gay on its own didn’t necessarily bother him, it was when Daichi tried to date and meet people that he got uncomfortable. It lead to many tense situations that Daichi doesn’t care to remember now.

But to be in a household of people more or less in the same boat...suddenly Daichi doesn’t feel so alone.

“So...you interested?”

It takes Daichi a full millisecond to fully process everything before blurting out, “I’m definitely in!”

Oikawa beams. “Yes!”

“You don’t understand how rough this whole day has been,” Daichi begins, rereading the ad behind a haze of unfallen tears, “My roommate and I got into this huge fight this morning, and things got pretty nasty. So I moved out, and then-”

They sit for awhile, talking, and weirdly, Daichi finds himself opening up to this guy he literally just met. Oikawa is surprisingly easy to talk to, despite his appearance. That, and frankly, it just feels good to get everything that’s been building up inside off his chest.

They end up sitting there until the manager comes over to tell them it’s ten minutes to close, when Daichi realizes that he still hasn’t found a hotel.

“Shit,” He curses out loud, “I forgot to book a hotel, ah, dammit.”

“You can come home with me.” Oikawa says, and though the implications of that statement are obvious, Oikawa looks so earnest as he pauses in gathering his heap of merch and gadgets, that Daichi thinks there’s no possible way he means it like that.

But apparently realizing said implications, Oikawa quickly smacks his forehead, face a little pink. “I didn’t mean it, like, you know, like _that._ ”

Daichi laughs it off. “It’s okay. I figured not.”

“Since it’s so late, you can stay in the room tonight and see how you like it. My boyfriend and our friend won’t be home ‘til tomorrow afternoon anyway, and I’m sure they’d like to meet you before we agree to anything.”

“Perfectly understandable. But if you don’t mind me asking,” Daichi leans forward, “Most people wouldn’t really be so forward like this. I mean, we did literally just meet an hour or so ago, and now you’re inviting me to stay in your place.”

Oikawa looks guilty at that. “Ah, well, this is gonna sound really dumb, but…” He pushes his glasses up on his nose anxiously. “I don’t like being alone in our apartment for too long. It’s too quiet and it freaks me out. And you seem cool, so,”

“Gotcha.” Daichi replies.

They pile out of the small cafe and head a ways up the street. As they walk, Daichi offers to hold some of Oikawa’s bags, which Oikawa readily agrees to, like he had been waiting all along for him to ask. “Thank god, I can’t feel my arms.” He whines, dumping his heavier bags onto Daichi’s shoulders.

He feels weirdly like a pack mule at the moment, but Oikawa is saving him a ton of money tonight by letting him stay at his apartment, hopefully his new _home_ if all goes well, so Daichi decides he can be a pack mule for one night.

“So, anyway, enough about my sad life,” Daichi says with a somewhat pitiful laugh, “Tell me more about the room and you guys in general.”

“Well, we’re almost there, like another five minutes. And it’s more like a loft than an apartment, really. But we got it for a bargain.” Oikawa winks at that, which Daichi finds odd, but lets it go.

“How much are you asking?” Daichi asks, reviewing the specs on the flyer. “Almost 2000 sq ft.? How did you guys swing such a huge space in Tokyo? It sounds incredible.”

“It used to be some kind of warehouse, but then this guy bought it out and turned it into lofts. There’s only like six of them in the building, because they’re all technically two-stories, I think.” Oikawa says, lips scrunched, thinking. He turns to Daichi. “They’re like, uh,” He holds up his hands like he’s tutting, “You know what a mezzanine is?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, well, yeah, They all have a super high-ceiling but with a mezzanine floor, so they’re all really wide and open, like a studio or something. It’s really cool looking.”

“That sounds amazing,” Daichi says, in genuine awe.

 “Like I said, we got it for a bargain,” Oikawa grins, “Just a matter of being at the right place at the right time, ya know? And um, we were thinking around one hundred and twenty thousand yen a month. But everything’s included in that, so...”

 “And that’s what we all put in, by the way,” Oikawa adds in hurriedly, “I promise we’re not overcharging.”

 Daichi considers it for a few minutes, doing the math in his head. It’s definitely a lot more than what he was paying before with his roommate. But then again, in such a crowded city, this place might as well be a mansion, so it’s a pretty reasonable price, after all is said and done. And especially compared to the tiny shoebox of a room he was in before, he would pay any amount of money for a decent space and a regularly functioning bathroom.

 Seemingly getting worried by Daichi’s sudden silence, Oikawa chimes in, “It sounds like a lot, but a guarantee that once you see our place, you’re never gonna wanna leave.”

*****

It goes well beyond anything Daichi could have ever expected.

 “Wow,” He breathes, his one duffel bag full of clothes and emergency items slipping out of his slackened grip and onto the floor. It even echos a little, which brings a noise of sheer incredulity out of Daichi. From the high ceiling and grey, industrialized color scheme, he believes it when Oikawa says this used to be a warehouse of some sort.

 Oikawa flips on a light, and Daichi makes another noise of childish awe. He’d always wanted a place with skylights.

 “So let me give you the grand tour,” Oikawa begins, pushing him past the foyer and into the...the living room? It’s one big space with little seperation; all of the areas seem to blend into each other, but Daichi finds that really cool.

 “This is the kitchen,” Oikawa points over to the far left, where there’s a newish-looking steel refrigerator and stove behind an island nook with those high chairs that swivel around. An assortment of snacks litter the countertop, and Daichi also spots a high wall; the top of it being used as a makeshift shelf for a vast assortment of liquors and wines. From there, Oikawa’s finger drifts to a large entertainment area. “This is our Man Cave(TM), aka the living room. We just got this big screen, and we have an old school nintendo, a PS2, PS3, an xbox, and we just chipped in and bought a PS4, so if you like gaming, welcome to your new personal Shangri-La.”

 Daichi grins at that. “Cool,” He says, walking closer to look at all the gadgets and posters on the dark metal and brick walls. This place has an aesthetic that he’s only seen in movies, and Daichi has to admit to himself, he’s already kind of in love with this place. And he hasn’t even seen the whole thing.

 “Hey, and check this out,” Oikawa calls to him, a small remote in hand. He points it up towards the near complete wall of just windows --definitely a warehouse, Daichi confirms mentally-- and clicks. A heavy shade comes down over the windows with a slow, quiet whirring sound until it hit the floor with a soft ‘pfft’ and Daichi’s mouth falls open. This place is _high-tech._

 “Swanky, huh?” Oikawa croons, “The landlord actually gave it to us when we got the place, since we’re on the side with the whole freaking world looking in.”

 Daichi can only nod dumbly. This place has already short-circuited his brain.

 “Come on,”Oikawa takes him by the wrist, pulling Daichi out of his stupor, “I’ll show you the bedrooms.”

 Oikawa leads him around another high brick wall to a set of floating stairs. He points up. “Up there is one of the bathrooms and Tettsun’s bedroom, since he’s basically Catwoman and doesn’t mind being up so high and open. Come’ere, you gotta see what this whackjob does every morning.”

 He pulls Daichi back over to the living room momentarily and points to a plush mattress-couch thing planted directly under the railings of the mezzanine. From where he’s standing, Daichi can see a bookshelf, a large desk, and the foot of a bed.

 “That’s his bedroom up there, and he just jumps down onto this couch from his room.”

 “That’s...really high. Seems a little dangerous...” Daichi says slowly, mentally measuring the height. It’s not a full story up, but it’s still a ways down.

 “Yes, I know, and I tell his dumb ass that every day that he’s gonna crack his head open on the floor one day, but do you think he listens? Fucking nope.”

 Oikawa slings an arm around Daichi’s shoulders, leading him back around the brick wall. “Between you and me, I don’t think Tettsun cares about his life. But now he’s got Kou-chan doing it too, so you have to help me nip this in the bud.”

 “Uh, I’ll try?”

 “Atta boy,” Oikawa says.

 They come to a large bedroom tucked away in the far right. “This is me and Kou-chan’s bedroom.” Oikawa gestures into the room. “Your bedroom’s next to us. And don’t worry,” Oikawa gives him an impish smile, “The walls are pretty thick between the bedrooms...you won’t hear, uh, _anything_.”

 Daichi rubs his neck. “Oh, okay. Great?”

 “Come, I’ll show you to your prospective bedroom. You’re gonna love it.”

 Oikawa leads him around the other side of the stairs, past another bathroom and closet. “Me and Kou-chan have our own bathroom, so this is all yours.”

 “There’s three bathrooms here?” Daichi can’t keep the look of disbelief off his face.

 Oikawa shrugs. “It only came with two, originally, but we ended up adding another one in our room after... _the Incident.”_ Oikawa blanches.“I’ll tell you about that another time.”

 “How long have you guys been living here?”

 Oikawa thinks for a second.“About two years now, I believe?”

“Nice.”

The room is fully furnished, which Daichi nearly sings to the heavens for. It’s simple, but comfortable. He walks in, sets his duffel bag politely in the corner, and takes a seat on the bed. He bounces a couple of times, measuring the firmness of the mattress. Of course, it’s perfect. Like everything else here. This nightmare of a day has taken a turn for not just the better, but for the ethereal, it seems.

 “Can I?” Daichi asks, and Oikawa gives him a candid thumbs up. “Go for it.”

 Daichi lies down with a tired sigh. His eyes flutter shut the second his head hits the pillow, the true exhaustion of today finally hitting him full-throttle. He doesn’t know how long he drifts off for, until Oikawa is sitting next to him, shaking him gently.

 “Hey, hey, hang on,” Oikawa calls to him, “I think you might wanna settle in before passing out.”

 Daichi jolts awake, blinking rapidly as he sits up. “Sorry, it’s been a long day. It’s finally catching up with me.”

 “I get it,” Oikawa laughs it off. “So anyway, the room’s yours for tonight. Everyone will be here tomorrow, so we can properly interview you, but I do have some preliminary questions...”

 “Alright, shoot.”

 Oikawa pulls out a small notebook. He flips to a clean page with some stuff scribbled at random intervals, and pulls a tiny pen out of the spirals. “One. Do you have a job?”

 Daichi nods. “Yes. Full-time, so rent won’t be an issue.”

 “Awesome. You looks like someone who’s definitely employed, but I still had to ask. Two. Are you a psychopath?”

 Daichi’s face goes blank for a moment. “Uh, no? ...I feel like you probably should’ve asked me that before inviting me home with you, but no. I am not.”

 Oikawa blinks. “Shit, you’re right,” he admits, bewilderment written all over his face, “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. Whatever. Anyway, three. How do you feel about pets?”

 “I’m good with animals. I don’t mind them. Why? What kind of animals do you guys have?”

 “A bird and a cat. There’s Dirk McSquawkin, my boyfriend’s parrot. I’m warning you now, he’s teaching it how to talk, but so far, all it can say is ‘boner’ and various other dirty phrases.”

 Daichi nods with a bemused ‘oh’, “That’s...interesting.”

 “And then there’s Harrison Ford, me and Tettsun’s cat. He’s really bad, so, sorry in advance. Also, don’t pet him, he bites.”

 “Noted.”

 Oikawa’s smile lights up the entire bedroom. “Perfect. Based on those questions, I think you’ll fit in here just fine, Sawamura-san...and I can see that you’re falling asleep as I’m talking, so I’ll leave you to settle in. We can talk business in the morning.”

 Daichi tries to deny it, but instead of words, all that leaves his mouth is a loud yawn. No point in denying it. “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.”

 “Hey, Oikawa-san?” He calls as Oikawa is walking out the door.

 “Oikawa’s fine.”

 Daichi smiles. “Okay, Oikawa. I just wanted to say thanks. I think I’d be up the creek without a paddle right now, if you hadn’t stopped by my table.”

 “Fate’s a funny thing, Sawamura,” Oikawa says with a small smile. “And I think you’re really going to like it here.”


	2. Good Morning, Sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There has been a small, cheshire-cat-ish smirk affixed to his face from the second Daichi looked at him. It makes Daichi kind of want to punch him, but he can’t really figure out why. Maybe because he seems to be eating slower on purpose, because it’s definitely a lot louder. And the more Daichi seems to catch on to this, the more the smirk seems to grow.
> 
> “Mornin’ sunshine.” He finally speaks first, way too amused, before spooning another giant mouthful of cereal into his mouth.
> 
> Daichi’s eye twitches. Oh my god.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This was originally meant to be up by Saturday, but since I got a new job and I'm scheduled to work the next two nights in a row, I decided to try and post a little earlier. I think this is the first time I'm actually posting something early/on-time, instead of weeks/months late lol yay

Daichi wakes up to loud whispers around him. Loud whispers and _louder_ eating. The continuous _crunch crunch crunch_ not even a foot away from him rouses Daichi out of his wonderful dream and back into real life.

It’s bright in the room, as someone’s opened all the windows. The sun hits his face full-strength, and Daichi wants nothing more than to roll over and smash his face back into his pillow. He’s still tired from yesterday. Without any conscious effort, his body rolls on its own, fighting the daylight for its need for more rest.

The chatter around him grows into amused excitement, and Daichi can make out voices.

“D’aww, look at the sweepy head!” This one is too loud and way too close, Daichi thinks. He hadn’t noticed the weight on his bed until he rolled, but there is definitely someone lying next to him.

Then a second voice comes in, though it is slightly muffled by more loud crunching. “He shuf wake uff, it’ff like twulf alrudy.”

Resigning himself to the fact that he’s not getting any more sleep now, no matter how hard he tries, Daichi rolls onto his back and cracks his eyes open, gently getting them accustomed to all the sunlight pouring into the room.

He is met with two sets of wide, unblinking eyes.

“Uh...hello?” He says, waving awkwardly, sitting up a bit.

The first voice belongs to the guy lying literally inches away from him. _Ah, this must be Oikawa-san’s boyfriend_ , Daichi figures. He’s a big guy, from what Daichi can see. He’s resting up on his forearms, biceps bulging beneath the thin fabric of his long-sleeved shirt. Broad shoulders, a stocky, muscular body, and wide, curious eyes coupled with a surprisingly warm, charming smile.

Now Daichi kind of understands where Oikawa was coming from yesterday, with all the gushing. He _is_ pretty attractive.

Although, there is a decidedly bird-like quality to his face and to his mannerisms; his spiked grey hair ( _Grey_? Daichi wonders) and wide, blinking eyes sort of make him look like the human personification of an owl.

Daichi turns to the second guy, who is still staring at him, slowly chewing what turns out to be cereal. His eyes are narrow and somewhat feline… _oh, so then this must be ‘Tettsun’,_ Daichi concludes. He looks like a guy who would jump over a railing from a second story for the fun of it. Daichi gets that daredevil vibe from him. Unlike the first guy, he’s not bulky, but still fairly built in his own right. His legs, which are currently propped up on the bed next to Daichi, go on for miles, as do his arms and torso. From beneath the white and red beanie he’s wearing, unruly black hair pokes out and fans over part of his forehead.

There has been a small, cheshire-cat-ish smirk affixed to his face from the second Daichi looked at him. It makes Daichi kind of want to punch him, but he can’t really figure out why. Maybe because he seems to be eating slower on purpose, because it’s definitely a lot louder. And the more Daichi seems to catch on to this, the more the smirk seems to grow.

“Mornin’ sunshine.” He finally speaks first, way too amused, before spooning another giant mouthful of cereal into his mouth.

Daichi’s eye twitches. _Oh my god._

“Hi,” He replies carefully, “I’m Sawamura. Sawamura Daichi.”

He winces at the brightness in the room and rubs at his eyes, forcing himself into full consciousness. “Have I been sleeping all morning?”

“It’s like one o’clock, bro,” Owl guy chirps, laughing. Daichi makes a noise of surprise and throws his sheet off in a flurry of apologies, which makes the both of them laugh. The guy on the bed pushes Daichi back down by his shoulders. “Whoa, whoa, where’s the fire?” He says, trying to calm Daichi down.

“I’m sorry! It was rude of me to sleep for so long,” Daichi insists, still trying to sit up, “Can you please let me up-”

“So you’re our new roomie, huh?” ‘Tettsun’ asks casually, completely derailing the hectic scene in front of him without even glancing up from his bowl. “You’re kind of a spaz, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not,” Daichi all but snaps, “It’s just that Oikawa-san let me stay here for the night out of kindness. I’m not trying to take advantage of that.”

They both blink.

“Okay…? So, you’re _not_ our new roomie then?” Owl guy asks, looking more confused than Daichi ever thought possible for a person. “So, who are you?”

Daichi stammers. “Well, I-I,”

Cat Eyes sighs, shaking his head. “This is why we shouldn’t leave Oikawa alone. We’re gone for two days and he brings a total stranger in off the streets.”

“Now, wait a minute-”

Owl Guy pouts at Cat Eyes. “Aww, babe was probably lonely. You know how he gets.”

“Guys-”

“Well it’s not like he couldn’t come with us, Bo,” Cat eyes says, aggrieved, “He wanted to stay home, so…”

“GUYS!” Daichi yells, startling the both of them into silence. With their now undivided attention, Daichi sighs and collects himself before addressing them. “I am...an interested party. In the room, I mean. I met Oikawa last night at a cafe where he was putting up your sign. So, since it was so late, he said I could spend the night, see how I liked the room before committing. And...uh…”

Daichi trails off when he notices the unconvinced looks on their faces.

_Crunch._

_Crunch crunch._

Cat Eyes stares at him with an eyebrow quirked, chewing his cereal the way Daichi has seen cows in a pasture grazing on grass and shit.

“You’re not an ax murderer or anything, are you?” He asks after a beat, spooning another mouthful of cereal and Daichi immediately wants to slam his head into the wall. He feels the _strangest_ sense of deja vu.

“No,” He says slowly, giving Cat Eyes an irrtated look.

Owl Guy moves closer until his nose is on Daichi’s cheek. “Then why is babe’s door locked, huh?”

Daichi scoots away quickly, muttering ‘what the hell?’ until he’s nearly at the edge of the bed. “I don’t know? I only met the guy yesterday?”

He adds as an afterthought, “And I lock my bedroom door, too. It’s not weird.”

“You didn’t lock it last night.”

“I don’t live here.” Daichi says exasperatedly, “Not yet, anyway.”

And based on how this little exchange is going, this might’ve been too good to be true. Thankfully, at the moment, the door flies open and Oikawa bursts in like the Springtime season, here to thaw Winter’s chill.

“Guys!” He shouts, somehow managing to look happy and angry at the same time as he stomps over to Cat Eyes and abruptly whacks him over the head, which leads to a loud curse and a whole lot of milk splattering everywhere.

“Stop bothering him! Let Sawamura-san sleep, he’s had a long night!”

Cat Eyes grins, leaning back in his chair to look up at Oikawa. “Oh my, what’s this? Something you wanna share with the class, Tooru?”

The look Oikawa directs at him is nothing short of withering. “I’m gonna punch you.”

“Do it, I’ll like it!” Cat Eyes shouts, braying the most horrible donkey laugh Daichi has ever heard. Of course, he clearly doesn’t like it at all. Oikawa makes good on his threat, socking Cat Eyes hard in the arm. He’s in pain, but still laughing so hard he’s wheezing.

 _It wasn’t that funny,_ Daichi thinks as he quietly and confusedly observes the scene in front of him.

“Are you wearing my sweater?” Owl Guy asks, smiling as he slides off the bed. His small voice in the background of all the laughing and yelling and punching is seemingly enough to get Oikawa to stop beating the literal shit out of Cat Eyes. His head whips around so fast it almost makes Daichi dizzy. He swears he can actually see the hearts in Oikawa’s eyes as he looks at his boyfriend.

“Yes,” He sniffs, immediately curling himself around Owl Guy, and it is clear to Daichi then why the sweater had been hanging off of Oikawa last night. It was like two or three sizes too big, and didn't belong to him, but to his boyfriend. “Are you mad?”

“No way! It looks so hot on you, Tooru!”

“Tooru could be wearing a fucking potato sack and you’d think he looks hot in it.”

Owl Guy nods. “Yeah, cause Tooru’s hot.”

“I’m hot.” Oikawa repeats, still wrapped around Owl Guy, hugging him like he hasn’t seen him in ten years. “I missed you guys so much!”Oikawa whines into his neck, nuzzling and kissing and sort of crying, too. It’s such a disgustingly cute scene...Daichi feels a bit of jealousy bubbling inside.

Cat Eyes coos, a hand to his chest. “Aww, you missed us?”

Oikawa goes from Anita Dear to Cruella in a split second. “Not you, Tettsun!” He hollers, though he looks a lot less threatening tucked within Owl Guy’s all-enveloping embrace as he’s yelling, and Daichi is definitely not the only one who thinks that.

Cat Eyes gives Oikawa a look that is puzzled but still very much amused. “Then who’s ‘you guys’, if not me and Bo?”

Oikawa pulls out of Owl Guy’s arms in a huff. “Kou-chan. Duh,” He says as if the answer should’ve been obvious, “Plus his biceps, his dick, and his butt.”

Cat Eyes deadpans. “Ah, yes. How could I have forgotten _them_.”

Owl Guy simply laughs and tugs Oikawa in for a sweet kiss, ignoring Cat Eyes’s groans of annoyance. “Get a room!” He shouts at them, but only gets a one-finger salute in return.

Daichi looks away awkwardly when the kiss gets a little frisky, face heating up.

“Don’t worry, you get used to their PDA after a while.” Cat Eyes says, though he himself doesn’t look entirely convinced that that’s true.

“How’s Akaachan?” Oikawa asks when they (finally) break apart some minutes later.  

“He’s doing good. Him and Kenma finally gave in and moved in together. About damn time.” Cat Eyes says, lounging back in his seat. “But we can tell you about our trip later. Right now...”

All eyes turn back to Daichi.

Suddenly feeling like he’s under a microscope, Daichi embarrassingly remembers that under the thin sheet covering him, he’s got nothing on but his least attractive pair of boxers. It’s hard not to feel a little hyper-aware when he's being eyed down by three of the hottest people he's ever met.

“Um,” He starts, for lack of anything better to say, but thankfully, Oikawa, once again, steps in to save the day.

“Guys,” He begins, “Let me introduce you to Sawamura Daichi.”

“He already introduced himself-” Cat Eyes interjects, which earns him a plunk on the ear and another lap full of sugary milk.

“Shut up, Tettsun.” Oikawa says with a smile, before turning back to Daichi. He points to Owl Guy first. “This is my loving, manly, perfect-”

“Get on with it!”

“-This is my boyfriend, Bokuto Koutarou,” Oikawa finishes quickly. Owl Guy-- _Bokuto--_ waves excitedly. There is a childish quality to him that Daichi finds really adorable.

“Hey bro!” He all but hollers, his booming voice echoing out into the rest of the loft.  

Daichi smiles back. “Nice to meet you, Bokuto-san.”

“And this,”Oikawa says with significantly less exuberance, “Is Kuroo Tetsurou, a non-housebroken alley cat we found behind a dumpster.”

Kuroo smiles wide. “Confirmed.”

“So, as you might have heard, Sawamura here is interested in living here with us. We met yesterday at the cafe where I was gonna put up our ‘roommate wanted’ sign.” Oikawa says.

“Yeah, and since you get lonely, you let him stay the night.” Bokuto points out, which earns him a finger over his lips to shush him.

“I wasn’t lonely, I was being _nice_.” Oikawa pointedly corrects. “And also, I wanted him to see if he liked the room enough to want to keep it _before_ meeting the two of you so he could judge whether or not it was worth it.”

“Aww,” Kuroo croons.

“And also, Oikawa-san said that you’d all interview me together.” Daichi adds.

“Sounds cool to me. I want more cereal.” Kuroo says, then abruptly stands and leaves the room. Bokuto follows him. 

“Yeah, same here. But I gotta go before Kuroo eats all the fucking fruity pebbles.”

And then Bokuto is also gone, leaving only Daichi and Oikawa. Oikawa coughs. “Well, I’ll let you get dressed and showered or whatever, and you can meet us over in the living room when you’re ready.” He says before excusing himself with a wave.

Alone for the first time since waking up, Daichi lets out a big exhale before flopping backwards onto his pillow.

“Oh, boy.”

 

*****

 

He pads out of the bathroom a while later in a plain white tee, slacks, and socks, towel slung around his still damp neck. If nothing comes of this, at least Daichi can leave here knowing he just had the most relaxing shower he’ll ever have in his life. It's a _nice_ fucking bathroom. With a blissful sigh, he towels off his hair, listening to the echoes of what seems to be an ongoing argument between Kuroo and Oikawa from around the brick wall that divides the bedrooms from the kitchen and living room.

“It was one dish, Tooru! What the hell is the big deal?”He hears Kuroo gripe, followed by a hearty noise of pure exasperation.

“It’s the principle of the matter, Tettsun,” Daichi hears Oikawa reply in a huff, “And it was not just ‘one’ dish. It was the one dish _plus_ all the dirty sink water and fucking festering noodles and sauce and grease!”

A scoff. “You’re such a drama queen.”

“Call me what you will, I am not sticking my hand in that cesspool. You left all the soap in there too! That breeds resistant bacteria.”

“No, it doesn’t!”

"Yes, it does!"

"Nu-uh!"

“Sorry, who’s the medical professional here? ‘Cause it sure as shit isn’t you!”

Daichi walks around the wall and into the kitchen just into time to see Kuroo splash a handful of the ‘cesspool’ sink water right in Oikawa's face with a loud and sarcastic, ‘How’s that feel, Mr. Medical Professional?’ followed by both another horrible donkey-laugh and Oikawa screaming bloody murder. Their little quarrel escalates into a full-on slap fight, until the two are down on the floor, kicking and screaming and pulling each other’s hair and clothes.

Throughout all of this, Bokuto, Oikawa’s boyfriend, sits at the corner stool, calmly eating a bowl of cereal and staring out the window like his friends aren’t literally killing each other less than five feet away. Daichi takes the seat next to him, staring down over the island nook worriedly when one of them, he can’t tell who, lets out a loud yelp and then all goes eerily silent.

He has a feeling one of them might actually be dead.

“Um, so, _question_ ,” He whispers over to Bokuto, “Do those two not like each or something? I noticed a lot of sniping earlier.”

Bokuto smiles, wide and toothy. Daichi grimaces a little when some half-chewed cereal falls onto his shirt at the action. “Oh no, don't worry,” He assures him with a hearty thwack in the shoulder, nearly knocking the wind out of Daichi’s damn lungs, “This happens at least twice a week. Trust me, they’re actually super close. More like brothers than friends.”

There is suddenly the sound of a blow landing against something soft but solid, followed by a pained ‘oof’. “Stupid Tettsun. You’re the worst person alive.” Oikawa mutters. Daichi looks to Bokuto for clarification, but all he gets is a blank look. “That was bad timing.”

Seconds later, the two of them emerge over the horizon of the marble counter, both a little ruffled but otherwise uninjured. Daichi is relieved to see that there was no bloodshed, but by the way Kuroo is holding his stomach, it is obvious which of the two caught the business end of that blow they just heard.

“Oh, Sawamura, you’re here,” Oikawa chirps, suddenly all sunshine and rainbows again as he smooths down his hair. He shoots one last dirty look at Kuroo, who grumbles under his breath as he shuffles over to the sink to clean his mess.

Daichi smiles. “Yeah.”

“So, now that we’re all here, let’s talk about your future with us,” Bokuto begins, hands folded in front of him like he’s the CEO of a major company and Daichi’s the newest potential underling.

Daichi nods. “Alright.”

“How did you like the room?” Oikawa asks, half-draped over the counter, chin resting in his palms.

“It’s nice. The bed is pretty comfortable, and it’s the perfect amount of space for me.” Daichi says. “Oh, and the bathroom is also great.” He adds quickly.

“Good,” Bokuto says, nodding. “So, where ya from?”

“I moved here to Tokyo from Miyagi about a year ago. I came for work after I graduated.”

Oikawa’s eyes go wide. “You’re from Miyagi too?! No way! What a crazy coincidence!”

“Aww,” Both Bokuto and Kuroo coo, and Oikawa frowns back at them.

“Another country bumpkin to keep babe company, how precious.” Bokuto says. Kuroo laughs.

“Just 'cause you’re my boyfriend doesn’t mean I won’t slap you,” Oikawa threatens, but to Daichi, it’s like watching that puffy pink thing with the microphone in that one pokemans cartoon get all huffy when everyone fell asleep while it was singing. All he needs is a marker/microphone, and he’d probably win a cosplay contest without even trying.

To further support this idea, his pouty cheeks only make Bokuto clutch at his chest like he’s been shot. “So...cute…” He chokes out, like it hurts.

“You look like a fucking jigglypuff when you puff your cheeks out like that,” Kuroo points out, finally walking over to join in the interview huddle. He wipes his hands on a dry towel hanging from a rack by his waist.

“I hate both of you.” Oikawa snaps. “ _Anyways_ ,” He focuses back on Daichi. “What do you do for work?”

Daichi folds his hands in front of him. “Well, I do computer programming for this company a little ways west of here. It’s a good job.”

“You like it?”

“Yeah, I do. And it pays well, so I’m good for rent and extra home expenses and all that.”

“Good, good.” Kuroo says, nodding thoughtfully, “So, like, if, let’s just say, I wanted to tile my whole bathroom in like, platinum-”

“No.” Daichi says with a firm, forced smile.

“Then why are we even still talking to this guy?” Kuroo mutters and walks away. He gets maybe two feet before Oikawa grabs him by his messy hair and pulls him back over.

“Stop being an ass.” Oikawa says.

“I just want a platinum bathroom,” Kuroo whines, “Is that so much to ask?”

“Yeah.” All three of them reply without hesitation.

Kuroo scoffs. “Rude.”

Bokuto lets out a hearty, bellowing laugh, patting (whacking) Daichi in the back at the speed of light. “I really like you!” He says, smiling so wide it nearly splits his face, “Who needs an interview? I think you’re perfect!”

A soft mewl sounds from somewhere beneath them. Kuroo looks down and smiles. “Hey Harrison Ford, what’s up buddy?”

He sinks down behind the nook, reappearing a second later with a grey, speckled cat in his arms. It rumbles and wriggles out of his grip, slinking down onto the counter in front of them. Kuroo stares up at Daichi as he runs his hand along its back, from its head to the tip of its tail. “You’re cool with cats, right?”

Something in his expression tells Daichi that he had better say ‘yes’ or something bad might happen to him.

“I’m good with pets,” Daichi quickly assures him. “Uh, Oikawa asked me yesterday.”

That seems to appease Kuroo somewhat. He smiles, relaxing a little. “Okay, good.”

And, even better, the cat, Harrison Ford--Daichi can’t keep the smile off his face at its name-- saunters over to him, meowing loudly. Bearing Oikawa’s warning from last night in mind, Daichi simply holds his hand out for it to sniff at, instead of trying to pet it.

“So, Oikawa said this is both your cat and his cat,” Daichi says.

“Yup, this little monster is ours.” Kuroo replies, leaning over to stroke its back again. It rises up into the gentle touch, mewling. _It’s really cute_ , Daichi thinks.

“I bet you can’t guess which one of us named him,” Kuroo also says, not so discreetly gesturing to Oikawa, who is now clad in a different sweater that is also space-themed.

“I did name him,”Oikawa confirms, unashamed, “Kuroo found him outside on our way home one night, and he was so bad as a kitten-”

“-He’s still bad, it’s not like he grew out of it-”

“Jumping off of stuff, tearing curtains, biting everybody, he was like a little kitten version of Indiana Jones.”

Daichi blinks. “...Sooo, you named him Harrison Ford...because…?”

“Because Oikawa likes the _Indiana Jones_ series almost as much as he loves _Star Wars_.” Kuroo answers, “...And you know who’s in both?”

He gestures to their cat, who is now sniffing curiously at Daichi’s fingers, with a nod.

“Aww, I think he likes you. He's not usually this curious or whatever with new people.” Oikawa says, smiling in awe, completely ignoring the conversation about him taking place next to him.

“But I think we all know what Tooru's real favorite is,” Bokuto says, suddenly very tongue in cheek, and Kuroo perks up, too.

“Welcome to the Space jam!” They both holler at the top of their lungs, “Here’s yo chance, do yo dance, at the Space Jaaaaaaaaaaaam, ALRIGHT!”

“Oh my God, you two are so obnoxious!” Oikawa yells, “You scared Harrison Ford away. Him and Sawamura were bonding!”

“It’s okay, really-”

“And Space Jam is not my favorite movie! You guys are stupid heads!”

Bokuto and Kuroo flash each other a look.

“He’s beauty, He’s grace-” Bokuto sing-songs.

“He’s in love with outer space.” Kuroo finishes. Daichi laughs loudly at that. That was pretty clever.

“Well, that part is true, so whatever.” Oikawa says, waving it off.

“So, is it official then?” Daichi asks, hopeful. The three of them size him up silently, and then Bokuto’s thumb raises. Oikawa also gives a thumbs up, followed by Kuroo.

“Welcome to the Cool Club, kid.” Kuroo says, and Daichi beams. “Thanks for taking care of me.” He says, bowing slightly. Bokuto pats him on the head, laughing at Daichi's formality. That is followed by a round of celebratory shots when Kuroo pulls down a bottle from the wall-shelf. From then on, it’s nothing but loudness. When they settle down briefly for a few seconds, Bokuto offers to cook something for Daichi, as a housewarming gift. Or, rather, a _room_ -warming gift. Daichi doesn’t even bother trying to refuse. His stomach has been high-key rumbling since he sat down. And he’s feeling the three shots of vodka way more than he normally would.

Although he would never of guessed it from first glance, Bokuto is an excellent cook. Before long, a literal heap of some kind of fried rice is placed in front of Daichi, who digs in happily. He practically melts. It’s a lot like his mom’s cooking back home, surprisingly. They all eat (and drink) together, talking about whatever little thing comes up, and in that time, Daichi learns quite a few interesting things about his new roommates.

Oikawa’s dream is to get abducted by aliens. He had laughed at this until Oikawa stared at him, genuinely wondering what was funny about that. Daichi froze, quickly covering up his disbelief with apologies, because he thought it was a joke. Oikawa side-eyed him for quite a bit after that. He is also a radiologic technologist at a local hospital, but is studying to do MRIs as well.

Daichi also learned that Oikawa hates peas, and will painstakingly pick them out of fried rice, even if it’s cold by the time he’s done. And he’s kind of a lightweight, too.

Bokuto’s bird actually can only say the word ‘boner’. Daichi had thought that Oikawa was exaggerating a bit, but it turns out he wasn't. And it’s very loud. Bokuto brought it out mid-meal to show Daichi, and now the word boner has been echoing in his ear like he’s standing in a canyon. Bokuto was also one of the top five Aces on the national level in boy's Volleyball back in high school, which he is still very proud of. Daichi, who also played volleyball in high school, is more than impressed by this.

They all played volleyball in high school, as it also turns out, and they were all captains of their respective teams. And so for about an hour, the conversation is only about their old teams, glory plays, and old rivalries. Daichi feels a sense of kinship swell from that moment on. Even moreso when Oikawa mentions that there’s a court nearby that they occasionally play at.

Kuroo has a tattoo on the side of one of his fingers, which Daichi had never seen before. He can’t see what it is though, and he doesn’t really want to ask just yet, but he thinks it’s pretty cool. Kuroo also loves puns, which is evident in his five pun streak that ended with Oikawa elbowing him in the side.

Kuroo also has very pretty eyes, Daichi notices.

It’s been zero to sixty since yesterday morning, and Daichi finally feels like he can relax now. And once everything settles into a more comfortable flow between the four of them and he has a chance to really take everyone in properly for the first time, it’s one of the first things that strikes him. A warm amber, like aged whiskey. It's the only comparison he can think of right now, because he's a little drunk.

He also notices because Kuroo is looking at him a lot, when he thinks Daichi isn’t paying attention. Little glances here and there, stolen seemingly in secret when the conversation is moving and they’re all laughing and joking. 

When he isn’t braying like a donkey and slinging terrible jokes (or getting beat by Oikawa for making fun of ‘you country folk’), they twinkle with something Daichi finds himself intrigued by, especially when Oikawa’s declaration echoes in his head.

 _No one in this household is straight_ , he recalls, and that makes it all the better.

It's well into the night when they finally get up from the table. And in that time, a couple of bottles are emptied, a full pot of fried rice is eaten, and Daichi feels like part of the household rather than a guest. All it took was a bottle of vodka and some common interests to forge a friendship, and for that Daichi is sincerely glad.   
  
"Carry me to bed, Kou-chan." Oikawa whines tiredly, holding his arms up like a two-year old ready for nap time. Bokuto hauls him up without much effort, carrying him bridal style. He high-fives both Daichi and Kuroo on their way out of the kitchen.   
  
"'Night, guys!" He calls from the threshold of their bedroom. 

"I'm so sorry." Kuroo suddenly says, clearing shot glasses off the counter. 

Daichi looks at him strangely. "For what?"

Kuroo gestures in the direction of Bokuto and Oikawa's bedroom. "I bet Oikawa told you that they're 'quiet'." Kuroo shakes his head. "They are _not_ quiet. At all. Oikawa's a horny drunk."

Daichi looks back at the room. "Really? He seemed pretty tired to me."

Kuroo walks around the nook and places a sympathetic hand on Daichi's shoulder. " _Seemed._ Key word. Hope you have good headphones or something. You're in for a wild night, my friend."

Daichi's smile is pained. "Oh, great."

They fall into silence after a beat, and Daichi realizes that Kuroo hasn't moved his hand. It's still there on his shoulder, warm but calloused. Kuroo, apparently also realizing it, quickly pulls his hand back with a throat clear and a quiet 'my bad'. The silence grows even more awkward when they hear...noises...from their friend's bedroom.  

"I guess I'll turn in, too." Daichi quickly says, flushing.  

Kuroo follows him around the corner, chuckling. 

"Sweet dreams," He calls from the stairs before ascending, still laughing. but thankfully it's a normal laugh and not that godawful one from earlier. 

Daichi closes his door softly, listening to the faint thumping of a wall with a frustrated sigh. 

He prays to god he brought his noise-cancelling headphones.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sidenote: Harrison Ford IS a real cat, in case anyone wanted to know. He belongs to my friend and he is a bad boy but he's so hilariously adorable no one really cares. XD
> 
> Comments and Kudos fuel me!
> 
> HMU on twit @sushib0mb if you're livetweetin or just wanna scream with/at me!

**Author's Note:**

> Next Chapter will be up relatively soon! Be on the look out!
> 
> BTW, if you want some visual references for their loft, you can find those [here](https://twitter.com/sushib0mb/status/816394892515622913)
> 
> Comments and Kudos fuel me!


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